Embracing my Afro-Latina!

Growing up I never truly understand what it meant to be an Afro-Latina. As a child my mother would always perm my hair, so that it could be long, STRAIGHT and beautiful. My mother, older sister and I would get perms daily but my middle sister had what I used to consider “good hair” which means she did not need to. She could wash and straighten her hair whenever she pleased. The moment my mother would notice my roots were curly it was time for a perm. As the youngest sibling I always look up to my older sisters and as I got older I started noticing my sister stopped relaxing her hair. My mom was against the idea of going natural but my sister’s hair was growing long, healthy and curly.

In August 2015, I moved to Buffalo for college and knowing my mother I had relaxed my hair a week before left. It was difficult trying to find a Dominican salon, my roommates and I called places but they were expensive. I ended up coming across, Dominican Hair Salon New Touch of Elegance and gained a great relationship with one of the salon ladies there. We both had a lot in common she was Dominican and had just moved to Buffalo from the Bronx. Right away she treated me as if I were one of her own kids. In December of 2017 she had me go natural and refused that I relax or dye my hair. Few years later I love and learned to embrace my hair.

Afro-Latinx women who are role models and embrace their beauty!

Amara La Negra is an Dominican artist who was born and raised in Miami. She is known for her hair and being a role model to those who want to explore and be confident in their own skin. “All because of my looks or because I am dark-skinned. But, that doesn’t make me less Latina.” –Amara La Negra

Tatyana Ali is known for her role on Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. She is proud to identify herself as black and Afro-Caribbean. “I’m a black woman. I am. Culturally, I would say African-American culture is different. I would say I’m more Afro-Caribbean. My heritage, with my culture, who I am… I’m not going to choose. I am both.” –Tatyana Ali

Lauren Velez is a Puerto Rican descent actress who was born in Brooklyn, NY but grow up in Queens. “Although I’m Afro-Latina, agents said I had to pick one…When Obama won, it was a defining moment in pop culture. We’re (people of mixed heritages and cultures) a part of a much broader experience now.” –Lauren Velez

Feel free to share your experience <3

If you are planning to move to Buffalo and want to live near a salon make sure to give Red Door Real Estate a call at (716) 768-1177 or email us realtyrenee@gmail.com

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